Description

Description

“Xenogorgia gen. nov.

Diagnosis. — Chrysogorgiids forming colonies in bottle-brush form, the secondary branches arising from the main axis in an irregular manner; branchlets arising from the secondary branches in an irregular lateral manner. Polyps cylindrical, on all sides of branches and branchlets. Axis smooth, translucent, weakly calcified; basal holdfast formed by a small expansion of the trunk.

Description. — The main stem, undivided or with one or two strong pri­mary branches, gives rise on all sides to numerous short branches bearing smaller lateral branchlets, resulting in a bottle-brush growth form. Polyps cylindrical, scattered, on all sides of the branches and branchlets. Sclerites in the form of thin, oval scales, often with a slight median constriction, with extremely fine surface texture scarcely visible with the light microscope. Axis smooth, translucent, amber colored in the thicker parts, faintly yel­lowish in the fine branchlets, only weakly calcified; basal attachment a small expansion of the trunk, marginally calcified, fastened to solid objects.